Praising The Golden Calf

Modern Idols in Today’s Society

I want to talk with you today about something we’re all familiar with. Turn on your TV or open your social media, and what do you see? Award shows where we literally give golden statues to celebrities. Magazine covers and a media that tell us who to admire. Billionaires whose every tweet moves markets and whose lifestyle choices you replicate no matter how sinful or corrupt then become headline news.

You know, I was thinking about this the other day when I read about some tech leaders throwing their considerable influence and wealth behind political figures. These tech giants with their private jets, space rockets, and ability to reshape entire industries with a single decision have become modern-day deities to many. We follow their every move, adopt their opinions, and defend them with surprising passion.

When Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and The Kardashians speak, millions listen. When they endorse politicians or policies, people align themselves accordingly. We’ve created a system where wealth supposedly equals wisdom, where celebrity equals authority. And isn’t it interesting how fiercely loyal people remain to these pagan figures, even when they face serious legal or ethical challenges?

I’m not here to tell you who to vote for or which billionaire has the right vision for humanity. But I am asking: have we created our own golden calves? When we place our ultimate hope in these figures, aren’t we dancing around idols of our own making?

An Ancient Warning 

This Praising of false idols isn’t a new human tendency. The Bible gives us a remarkably relevant story in Exodus. While Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving guidance from God, the people below grew restless. That waiting period that uncomfortable silence became unbearable. Much like the anxiety that’s going on today

So, what did they do? They gathered their gold, their resources, their wealth and fashioned something tangible they could see, touch, and rally around. Aaron collected their jewelry and created a golden calf. And the people declared, “This is your god, Israel, who brought you out of Egypt!”

Now, think about that for a minute. These people had witnessed incredible miracles. The parting of the Red Sea was still practically fresh in their memory. Manna: described as a flaky, bread-like substance that miraculously appeared on the ground each morning to feed them. Yet in a moment of uncertainty, they turned to something made by human hands for security.

When Moses came down and saw what was happening, the wild celebration around this false idol, he was devastated. He smashed the tablets containing God’s commandments, grounded the golden calf to powder, mixed it with water, and made the people drink it. Talk about a powerful object lesson! This was Moses saying, “That thing you’re worshipping? It has no power. It cannot save you.”

The consequences were severe. A plague struck the camp. The covenant was broken. A line was drawn between those who remained faithful and those who had turned to the fake idolatry.

Redefining What Really Matters

So, what does this ancient story have to do with our celebrity-obsessed, billionaire-worshipping culture? Everything.

God doesn’t call us to create social hierarchies where some people are deemed inherently more valuable than others based on wealth, fame, or power. Throughout scripture, we see a God who consistently upends these human systems.

Jesus didn’t spend his time with the celebrities and influencers of his day. He didn’t seek endorsements from the wealthy and powerful. Instead, he sat with those society had rejected. He challenged the religious and political establishments. He warned that we cannot serve both God and money.

When we create systems where resources are concentrated in the hands of a few while others struggle for basic necessities, we’re not building the kind of community God envisions. When DEI initiatives aimed at creating more equitable workplaces are dismantled, by purveyors of sin. We need to ask ourselves whose interests are really being served.

Look, I’m not against success or innovation. The problem isn’t wealth itself, it’s the worship of wealth. It’s not influence that’s the issue, it’s placing ultimate trust in human influencers rather than in God’s wisdom.

God’s economy operates differently. In it, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. In God’s community, diversity isn’t just tolerated it’s celebrated as a reflection of divine creativity. Inclusion isn’t a corporate buzzword it’s the natural expression of a people who recognize every human being as created in God’s image.

Breaking Today’s Golden Calves

I’m inviting us to examine our hearts and ask some honest questions:

Who or what am I really putting my trust in? Where do I look for security when times are uncertain? Whose voice carries the most weight in shaping my worldview and values?

We might not be fashioning literal golden calves, but we’ve certainly created modern equivalents. Celebrity worship. Billionaire adulation. Political idolatry. These are today’s golden calves, and they’re just as empty as the one the Israelites danced around. And they will not escape Judgement by the Lord of Spirits, none of us will!!!

The good news is that even after the Israelites’ dramatic failure, God didn’t abandon them. Moses interceded on their behalf, and God, in his mercy, renewed the covenant. The tablets were rewritten. The relationship was restored, though not without consequences and a call to greater faithfulness.

There’s hope for us too. We can recognize our modern idolatries and turn away from them. We can recommit ourselves to a God who values every person regardless of wealth, status, race, or background. We can build communities where resources are shared equitably, where diversity is celebrated, and where no human being is treated as disposable.

So, the next time you feel tempted to place your ultimate hope in a charismatic leader, a wealthy innovator, or a celebrated figure, remember the golden calf. Remember how quickly it was reduced to powder. And remember that only God not gold, not celebrities, not billionaires deserves our ultimate allegiance.

Let’s create a society where we don’t praise golden calves whether they come in the form of statues, celebrities, or stock portfolios. Let’s build communities where every person is valued not for their wealth or status, but for their inherent dignity as those created in God’s image.

The choice is ours, just as it was for the Israelites. Will we continue dancing around our golden calves? Or will we turn back to the God who calls us to a better way?

~Balance Due